He gets his wish this year, as the new regional-to-sectional-to-state format will give areas like Rockford that have multiple strong teams a chance to advance more schools instead of just two to the state meet.

In the old format, the boys and girls didn't have a regional round. All teams started in one of 12 sectionals, with the top two teams and top two individuals not on a qualifying team advancing to state. Six at-large bowlers also advanced.

Under the new format, there are 16 boys regionals with the top four teams and the top 10 individuals not on a qualifying team reaching one of four sectionals. From there, the top six teams and seven individuals not on a sectional qualifying team advance to the state tournament. In addition, there will be two at-large qualifiers.

For the girls, they start with 18 regionals, where the top four teams and the top 10 individuals not on a qualifying team at each regional will advance to one of six sectionals. From there, the top four teams and the top five individuals not on a qualifying team advance to the state tournament. The girls will not have at-large qualifiers.

"The format gives a very strong northern Illinois bowling group a chance to send four teams instead of just two to the state tournament," Stokes said. "In the past, we took each other out of competition (at sectioanls) only to go to the (state) tournament to face teams that wouldn't beat many of our JV teams."

Stacey Lambert, IHSA assistant executive director and bowling administrator, said the IHSA philosophy has been for any state tournament to have the best teams from each geographic area at the state, not just the best teams in the state.

"This is about increasing participation, not about getting the best talent," she said. "It's about getting state-wide representation at a state tournament, while giving the students an additional opportunity to compete at regionals."

Freeport girls coach Tim Jacobs is in favor of the new format. Last year, his talented Pretzel team, which finished second in the NIC-10, was left out of state when it took third at sectionals behind advancing Harlem and Jefferson. His daughter, Brigitte Jacobs qualified individually.

"Anytime you can add excitement to the season, it makes it all worthwhile," he said. "If they know that they can advance out of regionals to a sectional, that's great to tell your team and it motivates them.

"Last year, we didn't have the kind of day we needed to be in the top two. With those two teams running away with it, we could have still been OK (under the new format) with third because we knew we would advance as one of four teams.

Page 2 of 2 - "It's a relief that the pressure of being in the top two is gone. So with having a regional, you get four teams instead of two out."

While most area coaches like the new format and agree it's long overdue, some say it's not perfect.

"The only thing that will help the small schools, is the introduction of a two-class system, like most of the states around us, but that is a ways off," said Oregon coach Al Nordman, who has served on the IHSA Advisory Bowling Committee and has been involved in trying to get a new format approved since 2009.

"I know it's the right format as it will advance more high-quality kids to the state finals, but from a small school perspective, it hurts our program. Our teams had a chance to get to the State Finals if we landed in one of the weaker sectionals. Now under the new format, there is little chance of small schools advancing to state.

"So yes it hurts our opportunity to make state, but it does make for a much more competitive state finals and in areas such as Rockford where there have always been a high number of quality teams, it will in fact allow more of them to make it to the state finals."

Still, Belvidere's Heather Bailey said her team is excited about the format.

"We had a much better season this year than last year, so this format gives us motivation to go out and at least have a chance for some type of title or play a little longer if we are one of four teams in our regional," she said.

The IHSA board also approved a new rule that allows individuals at schools that do not have a team to still be able to enter a regional as an individual.

"That is a great rule change," Guilford boys coach Brad Sommer said. "The hope here is that once a school enters an individual it may want to form a team the next year."